3 Reasons Why Job-Hopping May Not Secure Your CMO Career Goal

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Young marketers searching for an opportunity in the business world can be ambitious, optimistic, and brimming with potential. Also, many of them are also part of the “millennial” generation, known for their somewhat ‘different’ approach to career development.

Today, it seems that job-hopping has become a way of life for some young professionals in the marketing sector. Younger candidates often feel that they’re more likely to find the role of their dreams by jumping from one position to another, than they are spending a growing number of years with the same company.

However, if you’re thinking of embracing a strategy of short-term employment, it’s worth noting that it might do more damage to your career than you think. In fact, contant movement could mean you will miss out on the perfect career opportunity and a chance to realise your career goal of becoming a CMO.

Are Millennials Spending Enough Time in Their Roles?

While there’s some debate over whether it’s millennials, or young people in general that have popularised the concept of job-hopping, a 2016 survey found that 42% of millennials change employers every one-to-three years, compared to 18% of the workforce overall.

Unstable and unpredictable employees can be a nightmare for businesses who want to secure the best future CMO talent in the market for their organisation. While many candidates believe that moving from one company to another will help them to gather new skills, the truth is that it can cause a range of problems for their employment future.

So, what are some of the real consequences that come with being a job-hopper, and why might it be the worst way to secure your future?

1. YouMiss Out on Internal Opportunities

Some Millennials claim to play the career market because they’re hoping to move up the corporate ladder. However, they don’t realise that leaving their current position can mean missing out on chances for internal promotion.

A leadership role like “CMO” is more likely to be filled by a loyal internal staff member than an external hire. Once you’ve found an organisation you feel comfortable with, it may be more beneficial to search for opportunities for internal advancement, instead of checking online forums for “something better”.

2. You Put Future Employers Off

Although not all hiring managers will consider job-hopping to be a red flag, around 40% of recruiters suggest that a history of short-term employment can be a worrying sign. After all, turnover and recruitment are expensive concerns for most specialist companies. The last thing a business wants is to hire a talented digital marketing expert with future CMO potential, invest in their development, and then see them move elsewhere.

When you frequently jump from one role to another, you suggest to your future team that you’re likely to do the same thing again. In a world where the costs of a bad hire can be catastrophic for any organisation, many employers are searching for reliability and security.

3. You Get Fewer Opportunities to Learn

While people who change jobs regularly might have a wide variety of experiences within different industries, they can lack the in-depth insights acquired through years in the same company.

When you’re hoping to become a high-level team member like a CMO, you’ll often find that you get better opportunities to expand your skillset within an organisation that you’ve spent time with. Few businesses are willing to invest time and money into training a specialist who has only been with them for a few months, or seems likely to switch to a different role soon.

Questions to Ask Before You Change Jobs

The millennial generation is used to instant satisfaction. You have immediate access to knowledge and information from around the world, available at the click of a button. While this is a good thing, it’s also meant that many younger professionals have lost the virtue of patience when it comes to achieving the perfect career.

While there are circumstances when searching for a new job is the best option, here are a few questions to stop you from becoming yet another member of the role-hopping stereotype:

Am I Leaving Too Soon? You’ll need a compelling narrative to tell future hiring managers why you have left previous positions so quickly.

Do I Have a Good Reason? Your reason for leaving is crucial. If you resigned because a dream opportunity arrived, this is much better than abandoning your post because you were bored.

Is There Still Room to Grow Here? If you’re continuing to learn and develop new skills in your current job, then this can be a sign that you need to hold on for a little longer.

Resource On Demand is Europe’s first specialist Salesforce Recruitment Company. We assist the world’s leading organisations to grow their technology teams. Supporting companies to fill roles that span across digital marketing, marketing automation, Human Capital Management, CRM system management, software testing and Salesforce.

The team at Resource On Demand have access to an extensive database of key talent, registering over 8000 professionals each year. To find out how we can support you call us on +44 20 8123 7769 or rod@resourceondemand.com.

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